This article is part of our Restaurant series, featuring remarkable independent restaurants that embody Healthy Anywhere standards and sensibility.

More Than Just a "Vegan" Restaurant

Would you open a restaurant knowing that half your town might never step inside? For Jay Gaich, co-founder of Craft Roots Morgan Hill, the answer was a yes—but not for the reasons you might think.

Craft Roots Bar & Veggie Grill isn’t just a vegan restaurant. It’s a bold statement about how plant-based food can be flavorful, nourishing, and deeply satisfying for everyone, not just vegans. It’s about community, resilience, and proving that real food—grown nearby, made from scratch, and packed with intention—deserves a place at the table alongside an impressive and intentional beverage program!

Learn how Justin (“J”) Gaich underwent a sudden lifestyle transformation and his journey from bussing tables at Chevy’s Mexican restaurants to owning a beloved bistro in Morgan Hill, CA (part of the South Bay in the San Francisco Bay Area). – Full Video interview coming soon!

“When people heard it was going to be a vegan restaurant, we got all kinds of reactions—some great, some skeptical. The only way to prove it would work was to make sure the food was amazing.”

J Gaich, Craft Roots

Follow along on the Healthy Anywhere app

iOS mobile: App QR code

A Life-Changing Decision That Sparked a Restaurant

“My wife watched a documentary one night, and just like that, she went vegan.. I wasn’t feeling great myself at the time—stressed out, eating poorly between shifts—so I said, ‘Alright, I’ll do it too.’ We suffered for a few months, not knowing how to do it right, but once we figured it out, we never looked back.”

J Gaich, Craft Roots

It all started with a documentary. One night, Jay’s wife watched a film that changed her perspective on food forever. She went vegan literally overnight.

At the time, Jay was managing a steak-and-potatoes type restaurant. He came home with bags of leftovers, thinking they’d be set for the week, only to hear: “I’m going vegan!” His first thought? This won’t last.

But as the days turned into weeks, he saw his wife’s commitment and realized his own health was suffering. The long, exhausting restaurant shifts, the fast food between breaks, the constant feeling of burnout—it was all catching up. So, he took the plunge into veganism, too.

The transition wasn’t easy. Think: a lot of not-so-healthy fast food burritos and fries, and a lot of trial and error. But they learned. They refined. They never looked back.

That personal transformation turned into something bigger: a vision for a restaurant where plant-based food wasn’t about restriction—it was about celebrating community and abundance.

A Restaurant for Everyone: Whole Foods, Big Flavors, and a Warm Welcome

At its core, Craft Roots is about great food and drinks, thoughtfully prepared.

As a bar and veggie grill, Craft Roots is redefining the drinking and dining experience. Their “consciously intoxicating” beverage program is a standout—crafted without refined sugars and featuring seasonal fruits and herbs sourced from local farms. Whether it’s a local craft beer on tap or craft cocktail or a zero-proof mocktail (like our personal favorite, “Zero Things Green”), every drink is intentional, refreshing, and in harmony with the ethos of real, clean ingredients.

And then there’s the food. Yes, you’ll find indulgent bar favorites and (non)creature comforts, but also nourishing dishes like fresh salads, a Mezze plate, Korean bowl, and their Harvest Plate, a rotating showcase of peak-season vegetables straight from nearby farms.

And yes, it just happens to be vegan. Customers may finish their meal and say, “Wait… this is vegan?”

Most everything is made from scratch using whole, real plant-based ingredients. No processed shortcuts. No refined sugars. Just locally-sourced, deeply flavorful, nourishing food that happens to be 100% plant-based.

“We don’t push an agenda. We just make great food. It’s not about whether it’s vegan or not—it’s just good food, made from scratch, using the best ingredients we can get our hands on. And that’s something everyone can enjoy.”

J Gaich, Craft Roots

Unique challenges of running a Plant-Based restaurant

Opening a restaurant is tough. Keeping it alive? Even tougher.

Craft Roots opened in 2019. Five months later, the pandemic hit.

That meant scrambling for survival—adapting menus, cutting hours—doing whatever it took to keep the doors open, all while maintaining a staff of 25-30. Since then, it’s been an uphill battle:

Food costs skyrocketing.
Labor shortages and higher wages.
An economy where fewer people are dining out.

There are no shortcuts to running a plant-based kitchen—with copious amounts of vegetables, herbs, leafy greens, and fruit to constantly wash, clean, chop, and prep.

Keeping a vegan restaurant alive in a traditionally more meat-centric small town? Even more challenging. But J is up to the challenge.

“You just have to trust the process. If it goes under, it goes under—but we’re going to fight like hell to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

The Power of Community: Why Local Support Matters

Jay’s roots run deep in Morgan Hill.

He’s worked in restaurants here for over 20 years. He’s served families, watched kids grow up, and now feeds their children at Craft Roots. When he decided to open his own restaurant, the community showed up.

Locals helped build the space—woodworkers, contractors, friends.
Farmers from Spade & Plow, Three Feathers Farm, and others supply the restaurant with fresh, organic produce.
The Saturday farmers market is a go-to for sourcing ingredients.

That hyper-local connection isn’t just a philosophy—it’s survival. Independent restaurants like Craft Roots rely on their communities, and in return, they feed, nourish, and sustain the people around them.

Final Thought: Craft Roots is for Everyone

Craft Roots isn’t just for vegans.

It’s for anyone who values quality, thoughtfully prepared food. It’s for those who want to eat more plants without sacrificing flavor or satisfaction. It’s for a community that believes in supporting independent businesses, sustainable agriculture, and real, nourishing food.

Keeping a full-service, independent restaurant alive in 2025 is no joke. Now more than ever, supporting spots like Craft Roots matters.

So, if you’re in Morgan Hill—or just passing through—do yourself a favor:

Walk in. Sit down. Take a bite. And taste the future of food.

If you haven’t watched our 1:1 interview above, be sure to watch it here. (LINK coming soon!)

Discover More Eateries Like Craft Roots with the Healthy Anywhere App

Looking for more spots serving high-quality, thoughtfully prepared meals? The Healthy Anywhere App helps you find top-tier, independently owned eateries committed to fresh, sustainable, and nourishing food—wherever you are.

Explore, discover, and eat well on the go!

Top Coverage areas as of Jan 2025:
✅ SF Bay Area ✅ Los Angeles + OC ✅ NYC
✅ Austin, Houston, Dallas, TX ✅ Denver / Boulder ✅ Phoenix, Scottsdale ✅ Las Vegas
✅ Seattle ✅ San Diego ✅ 30-A Florida + Miami Beach + more ✅ Expansion per member request

✅ Healthy hits in over 600 cities (USA + Provence, France)